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Where to Buy Tickets to ‘George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker’ This Year
If you’re just as excited as we are about the approach of the most wonderful time of the year, chances are you’ve already started populating your late-fall and winter calendar. It’s common knowledge by now, too, that no winter season is complete without attending a performance of “George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker,” put on by the New York City Ballet every year. In 2024, the iconic dance company celebrated 70 years of “The Nutcracker,” but it shows no signs of stopping its annual odes to Balanchine’s magical choreography set to a soundtrack by Tchaikovsky.
While we realize not everyone lives in New York, this is an occasion that truly merits a trip to the big city. Staged at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater, the show draws in close to 100,000 attendees yearly, which really comes as no surprise, seeing as how the ballet’s classic plot (of Clara’s nutcracker doll coming to life, defeating the Mouse King, becoming a prince, and venturing with the little girl through the Land of Sweets, where they meet the beloved Sugar Plum Fairy) holds a special place in the hearts of both the young and the old.
How to Buy ‘The Nutcracker’ Ballet Tickets Online
Best Sites: StubHub, SeatGeek, Ticketmaster
Ballet Performance Dates: Friday, Nov. 28 — Sunday, Jan. 4, 2025
Since premiering on February 2, 1954, the NYC-based production has been nothing short of a spectacle — one that, as the saying goes, takes a village to put on. By the numbers, 40 stagehands coordinate everything from the lighting to the props that transform the stage into an enchanted wintertime kingdom; 62 musicians make up the orchestra, granting audiences delightful experiences of listening to the “Waltz of the Flowers” and the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” live; 90 dancers give it their all, from entering stage right to taking their final bow; more than 125 children make the heartwarming story come to life; there are 150 costumes presented, many of which are 1954 originals; and one Christmas tree plays a starring role, growing in size from 12 feet to 41 feet while “evoking audible gasps of disbelief from the audience,” per the New York City Ballet.
Get ready to step into the magical world of the Sugar Plum Fairy, dancing marzipans, and trees that triple in size.
Courtesy Paul Kolnik
Speaking of the garb grown-ups and children wear on stage, designs stay true to the ballet company’s original, Oscar-winning, Ukrainian-born costume-maker Barbara Karinska. Now, New York City Ballet’s costume department is helmed by Marc Happel, who’s responsible for making sure each outfit matches a particular dancer’s skin tone, can accommodate their range of motion throughout the evening, and maintains its integrity in relation to Karinska’s initial vision. There are wire frame–equipped tutus resembling marzipans, flowy dresses with hot chocolate motifs, and shirt-and-pants coordinates that evoke candy canes as their wearers partake in daring, hoop-jumping choreography.
“We have fashion houses or clothing companies that will come in to ask to look at specific costumes because they’re considering using them for inspiration,” Happel shared with WWD for an earlier story. Just this year, for instance, Anthropologie Home came out with its very own holiday collection in collaboration with the New York City Ballet — nodding to the grandeur of “George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker” with its gilded details, heirloom-quality finishes, and dreamy color palettes.
“One of the things that makes ‘Nutcracker’ so special for people is that when the curtain opens it’s just such an eyeful of choreography, design, and characters that in some ways makes our audiences realize what the season is all about,” said Happel. “Even for people who don’t have children, it makes them realize the child that’s inside of them and brings that out.”
How to Buy ‘The Nutcracker’ Ballet Tickets Online
Because of how popular the NYCB spectacle is each year, tickets tend to sell out at a rapid clip. That being said, while you can get them directly on nycballet.com, better deals can be found on websites like StubHub, SeatGeek, and Ticketmaster.
Here, we make it easy for you by breaking down the various ways you can get prime seats to one of New York’s biggest and most festive happenings of the year. Performances start on November 28, so time is of the essence here if you want to score an unforgettable time for yourself and your loved ones (because yes, tickets to “George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker” do make for a thoughtful gift).
‘The Nutcracker’ Ballet Tickets on StubHub
Besides giving you your actual tickets, StubHub provides peace of mind with every purchase. Right now, prices for the Lincoln Center ballet start at just under $200 on the site, with orchestra seating climbing into the $400 territory. Every order is backed by the platform’s FanProtect Guarantee (read: You will get the tickets) and can be resold at any time should your plans go south.
‘The Nutcracker’ Ballet Tickets on SeatGeek
SeatGeek is another editor-recommended site for ticket purchases, holiday ballets included. Prices are comparable to StubHub’s and already account for fees, so you won’t be surprised by the final cost at checkout. SeatGeek protects every ticket and issues full refunds (or credits) on events that are cancelled without an alternative date.
‘The Nutcracker’ Ballet Tickets on Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster might be the most well-known option for attaining tickets to live events. Interestingly enough, its resale prices for “The Nutcracker” in 2025 are higher than those of the above two sites, but availability is high as of now — and you can choose to add an insurance package to your purchase. Should you decide to pay extra for it, you will get reimbursed up to 100 percent in case of certain covered life events.
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